1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for filling containers and more particularly to such an apparatus which is adapted accurately and rapidly to fill containers to a predetermined weight with a plurality of articles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of mechanized apparatus in the packing of containers with articles, and especially crop articles such as fruits and vegetables, has long been known. It is a recognized commercial practice to ship such crops in containers bearing a predetermined weight of the articles. It is economically desirable that the weight of articles deposited in each container by the packaging apparatus be as close as practical to such predetermined weight in order to eliminate or substantially reduce overfilling and underfilling the containers.
Apparatus have been proposed in the art for use in filling containers to a predetermined weight with crops such as potatoes, fruit and the like, and such apparatus have generally provided a first filling station adapted to fill the containers with articles from a supply of crops to a predetermined weight which is less than the desired weight. Such apparatus further have generally provided a second station at which the containers are filled to approximately the desired weight. Typically, the filling operation at the first station of such an apparatus takes place fairly rapidly, while the depositing of crops or other articles in containers at the second station occurs at a slower pace relative to that of the first station to permit fairly accurate termination of the filling operation at the second station upon arrival at an approximate predetermined weight.
While such apparatus have been generally successful in accomplishing their intended purposes, their use has been attended by a number of deficiencies and drawbacks. For instance, it has been recognized that the delivery of articles to the first and second filling stations of such apparatuses often must be slowed down or stopped completely during the operation of the apparatus in order to prevent congestion of articles at either the first or second stations. This is due, in part, to the relatively slow pace of the filling operation at the second stations, and is also attributable to the limitations of the means provided by such apparatuses for diverting articles to the second station. Very often, it is seen that congestion, overflow, or sporadic delivery of fruit at the second station necessitates shutting down the operation of the apparatus to correct such problems or, alternatively, results in the container remaining at the second station for a prolonged period of time awaiting the delivery of successive articles of fruit to bring the container to the predetermined weight. Moreover, it is well known that such apparatus often are constructed having bulky exterior dimensions, thereby preventing the use of multiple filling apparatuses in packing sheds and like environments having limited space. Further, the size of such apparatuses sometimes limits the usefulness of them in operative environments in which the apparatus are desired to be employed in multiples in receiving relation to conventional crop sizing apparatuses.
Finally, another drawback of such known apparatuses is that they generally provide separate delivery mechanisms for delivering articles to the first and second station, such mechanisms usually requiring separate drive apparatus for the operation of the delivery mechanisms. Thus, the use of conventional apparatus is attended by an increased likelihood of malfunction of one or more component parts of the apparatus, with an accompanying increase in the possibility of "down time" during which the apparatus is not available for its intended use.
Therefore, it has long been known that it would be desirable to have an apparatus for the rapid filling of containers with articles to a predetermined weight having a compact, reliable construction adapted to perform such filling operation with a speed and reliability previously unattainable.